How do I remove a power steering pulley?

you will need to beg borrow or rent a puller.....no other way around it.....

Call your local machine shop to see what they would charge to remove it, replace the bracket, and then press the pulley back on. It's probably less than the $40. I can't recall ever seeing one you couldn't just replace the bracket on though. Never had to pull a pulley.

Pic of tool here;

I was just at AutoZone in the tool isle:

If I'm not mistaken, the brand that they sell that is the less expensive brand, named; "OEM" $24.95 and lifetime guarenteed.

But then again, I could be mistaken, but I just bought a nice set of the blue comfort grip screwdrivers, for my road service box.

The pulley is easy to remove and replace, if you follow the instructions in the package of the remover, and have atleast the basic requirements of hand tools. Some alternators and A.I.R. pumps need the tool also.

If you're considering doing you're own work, it would be a good investment.

Refinish King

You first need to remove the center bolt from the pulley, before attempting to pull it. Once that is done, the puller should have 2 jaws that cup over the hub lip on the pulley. With the remover properly inplace, tighten the center shaft by hand. Then use a wrench and work with care. After that there should be 3 bolts that hold the pump to the bracket.

I have yet to see the aluminum style brackets shatter. You may want to check all the bolts for stripped threads, or stripped out bolt holes. Charles

A few GM serpentine belt vehicles require the pulley to be removed to access the pump bolts. Some you can fight with for an hour or better and do it without pulling the pulley. Mostly 86 and up RWD 4.3V6 and V8 cars & Trucks with serpentine belt accessory drive. Charles

Autozone's tool rental program is free, you put your credit card as a deposit for the tool and it's refunded when you bring the tool back in good working order and complete.

Best way to go for now. The puller should be fairly cheap to purchase from Craftsman (Sears) and will have a lifetime warranty.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...

Some bolts might have loosened?

Just a thought.

Refinish King

The pulley is pressed on there and there is no center bolt. You will need to rent the puller from Autozone. It doesn't take much knowledge to use it, just attach the puller to the lip on the pulley, then start cranking down on the bolt that runs down the center of the pulley mechanism. The pulley will be pressed out.

I've seen a bracket break.. Both the upper alternator ear broke off as well as the part that receives the alternator bolt that goes through the alternator lower mount hole. I just replaced mine. If you need a new bracket, you can get one from any of the sponsors of thirdgen.org. Just go there and look at the banners. I got mine from thirdgenresource.com. $40, I think.

-Bruce

Very possible. There is still a lot in GM-land I have yet to see. I know the old 86-87 Astro van motor plate serpentine belt system brackets were know for breaking. Usually around the back brace for the power steering pump, then between the power steering pump and the timing cover. Had it happen to myself twice.

First time we straightened the bracket out and welded it (stick welded, with 6011 rods). That lasted over a year, when it was a limp me home patch. The second time it broke, it was done for. The pump angle towards the crank over 5 degrees. I ended up with 1 broken bolt, and one stripped bolt hole.

I like the later Astro/S-10 4.3 brackets. Cast Aluminum. Alternator and power steering pump on the same side. Tensioner mounted off the right side bracket. AC and smog off the left side (IE not important to limp home). That that set up and put it on any old small block, with the proper water pump, and you have a budget Serpentine set up. Much, Much cheaper then the conversion kits they sell thru Jegs or Summit. Not to mention most parts stores and salvage yards have the replacement parts in stock. Charles

The biggest PITA with that setup is a steel bracket running from behind the PS pump, up around the exhaust manifold (trapped under the bolts for #1), and up to the back of the alternator. Because of that bloody bracket you actually have to go so far as to remove the PS pump pulley (with the puller in question) and unbolt the pump just to remove the damn exhaust manifold. Ask me how I know... lol

As a side note, is the PS pump supposed to have a retaining bolt or is it just pressed on? The one in my lil Jimmy doesn't have the bolt, although the threads are half-stripped (making the pulley job so much more fun) so who knows that it has been through in the past. I'll have to check the GTA for curiousity's sake when I pull it out later in the spring.

It's not supposed to have a bolt. The threads down the shaft of the PS pump are for the installer. If you get a power steering pump, it shoudl come with an installation tool. Of course the tool that you can borrow from Autozone comes with a better installation tool.

-Bruce

Some GM RWD power steering pumps have a center bolt some do not. I once forgot to remove one on an 87 Safari Van. The pump shaft was broken, and came out with the pulley. If I had been installing a new pump that required the old pulley, I might have been cursing. As luck would have it, I was installing a used pump.

As for the brace, We have adapted them before. Charles

I never said the pulley had a center bolt!

LOL

I was suggesting some bolts loosened on the bracket, causing it to break.

Refinish King

Doing a timing chain,

and a valve job on an all wheel drive Astro was a picnic I never want to go on again, it took a day to remember how to reinstall all the steel brackets.

LOL

Refinish King

PS

If I would have flat rated that job, I would have to eaten at the food bank with my ex wife and daughter for a week.

I never said you did.. Charles did though..

King:

A simple call to a GM dealer's parts department would have yielded an exploded view from the parts book which would have been good enough (in all probability) to jog your memory as to how it went :).

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...

Thanks for the help everybody. I was successful in removing the pulley and the bracket. I've also got the new bracket installed. Now my problem is re-installing the pulley. I've read the back of the puller box and I still can't figure it out. Can anyone help with this? Thanks in advance.